This month, MV is proud to be the Official Beauty Partner of the International Woolmark Prize, a talent incubation program which celebrates fashion talents from across the globe who showcase the beauty and versatility of natural fibres. The International Woolmark Prize has established itself as one of the most sustainable and forward-thinking fashion award and business development programs in the industry. As fellow advocates of sustainability (you can read more about our environmental initiatives here), this partnership inspired us to write about a movement that is close to our hearts – slow beauty.

Around the world, people are re-thinking the way they live and work, with consumers considering the impact of their purchases on people and the planet, more than ever before. Conversations around the idea of slow living are not uncommon, and these conversations often culminate in a backlash against (or at least, more consideration of) fast fashion.

And yet the issue of fast beauty – fast fashion’s skincare and cosmetic counterpart – receives less attention. But like fast fashion, fast beauty poses a risk to people and the planet with mass production, fast-paced timelines, and products that ultimately end up in landfill. Oftentimes, these products are sent to landfill even quicker than apparel due to the short shelf-life of some products and inability to resell, donate, or in some cases - simply recycle - no longer needed products.

Here at MV we have long advocated for a slower and more conscious approach to not just our business or our skin, but also to our everyday way of living. And we are pleased to see this catching on, with a mounting movement away from fast beauty and towards something better for people and the planet– slow beauty.

What is slow beauty?

Much like slow fashion, slow beauty is a more thoughtful approach to producing and consuming skincare and cosmetics that offers an alternative to the narrative commonly associated with the beauty industry (think quick fixes and a product for every problem).

A key principle of slow beauty is that it produces less waste from both a consumer and brand perspective. Slow beauty encourages people to rethink their skincare rituals and choose quality over quantity, thereby reducing the number of products they buy (and ultimately dispose of). The same principles apply to the production side as well. For example, small-batch production, where products are manufactured (often by hand) in smaller quantities in response to consumer demand, allows brands and businesses to minimise waste and prevent overproduction (sidenote: small batch is also good for the products themselves as it preserves the integrity of the natural ingredients – read more on our small batch philosophy here).

Curating a slow beauty self-care ritual

But of course, a slow beauty skincare ritual is more than just the products. It’s about creating a sensorial experience that provides a moment of calm, an opportunity to slow down in every sense of the word. That’s why we don’t refer to skincare ‘routines’, we advocate for skincare rituals that nourish the skin and provide a moment to engage the senses, from touch to smell to breath (you can find our skincare rituals here).

Ultimately, we welcome this move towards slow beauty (we’ve been leading the charge for a while!) and truly believe in this movement for the good of the people, the planet and – as well as our skin.